Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Aegina, Tzia/Kea: Welcome to the charming little islands near Athens, which offer history and style in abundance and are ideal for a quick getaway all year round. Just a short ferry or hydrofoil trip from the port of Piraeus, you’ll find beautiful beaches, historic monuments, stately buildings and one-of-a-kind hospitality.

The article introduces seven islands near Athens-Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Aegina, Tzia/Kea, Agistri, and Kythnos-each offering a blend of history, natural beauty, and authentic Greek hospitality. All are easily reached by ferry from Piraeus or Lavrio, making them ideal for quick getaways year-round. Highlights include Hydra’s elegant mansions, Spetses’ maritime heritage, Aegina’s ancient temples, and Agistri’s budget-friendly escapes. Frequent ferry schedules and short travel times mean visitors can enjoy beaches, culture, and local cuisine just a short trip from the capital.
The article introduces seven islands near Athens-Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Aegina, Tzia/Kea, Agistri, and Kythnos-each offering a blend of history, natural beauty, and authentic Greek hospitality. All are easily reached by ferry from Piraeus or Lavrio, making them ideal for quick getaways year-round. Highlights include Hydra’s elegant mansions, Spetses’ maritime heritage, Aegina’s ancient temples, and Agistri’s budget-friendly escapes. Frequent ferry schedules and short travel times mean visitors can enjoy beaches, culture, and local cuisine just a short trip from the capital.
Hydra
Saronic Gulf
The aristocratic island of Hydra invites you to experience the beauty that has enchanted international jet setters, artists like Chagall and Picasso and musicians like the late great Leonard Cohen. The port town is cosmopolitan and elegant, with its 18th-century mansions, old churches and marble-flagged steps that serve as streets on this steep island. A trip to take you back in time.
Spetses
Saronic Gulf
Τhe sea captains’ island, Spetses promises la 'dolce vita', whether for a quick weekend getaway or a long holiday. Have a leisurely coffee in Dapia, as you look across the sea towards Kosta and Porto Heli on the Peloponnese. Walk along the waterfront, past the handsome mansions below St Nicholas’ Church, to the Old Harbour with its traditional boatyards. Then visit the Bouboulina and Hatzigiannis-Mexis museums.
Aegina
Saronic Gulf
Just an hour from the port of Piraeus, Aegina is the island closest to Athens. Here you’ll enjoy ancient temples, stone-built Byzantine churches, a delightful old-fashioned port town, delicious local pistachio nuts and a swimming season that lasts until late autumn. This charming, welcoming island will entice you as it has the many from around the world who have chosen to make it their second home.
14 unforgettable things to do in Aegina
Ferry Schedules to Aegina
Poros
Saronic Gulf
A place beloved by Giorgos Seferis, the Greek Nobel laureate, and groundbreaking writer Henry Miller, with its beautiful nature, vintage charm and peaceful ambience. Just a stone’s throw from Galata on the mainland, in Poros you’ll find small tavernas, yacht marinas, neoclassical buildings, a clock tower, pine forests reaching the sea, serenity and relaxation.
Tzia/Kea
Cyclades
Close to Athens (just one hour from the port of Lavrio, east of Athens) is Tzia (also known as Kea), which will charm you with its cosmopolitan ambience, unique beaches and the mysteries hiding on its seabed.
Agistri
Saronic Gulf
This tiny island, just five minutes from Aegina and about an hour from Piraeus by boat, offers pine-studded landscapes, beautiful bays and hidden coves, pure nature for trekking and biking and picturesque seaside tavernas – perfect for an alternative holiday.
Discover the 10 best things do in Agistri
Ferry Schedules to Agistri
Thanks to its proximity to Piraeus, Agistri is one of the most budget-friendly island getaways, with year-round ferry service.
Kythnos
Cyclades
Picturesque villages boast narrow streets of cobbled stone and gardens full of flowers, next to tiny chapels that pop up on rocky headlands and within forest glades. So much hidden beauty exists on Kythnos, and just a short hop by ferry from Athens. With a history starting in the mists of the Mesolithic period, Kythnos, modest and hospitable, unexpectedly beautiful and serene.
10 best things to do on Kythnos island
Ferry Schedules to Kythnos
Traveling by ferry from Athens to Kythnos is fast and easy, as the island is only 25 nautical miles from the mainland ports.
- Ferry from Lavrio to Kythnos: Catching the ferry from Lavrio to Kythnos is the fastest way to get to the island. There are several weekly routes throughout the year and the crossing duration ranges from approximately 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours.
- Ferry from Piraeus to Kythnos: The Piraeus - Kythnos ferry route is available weekly and the journey duration is 3 hours.
Map of the Islands Close to Athens
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Top day trips from Athens to nearby islands
So close that you feel you could almost touch them, the islands of the Saronic Gulf offer a generous taste of Greek summer to anyone visiting Athens.
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